Patents filed
R&D team members
R&D expenditure
Digitisation
Circularity/Materials
Product Stewardship
Our R&D Centre is instrumental in shaping the success of our Company. Over the past years, we have made remarkable strides in our pursuit of innovation, driven by a team of skilled professionals and the constant development and adoption of advanced technology. To further drive our research capabilities, we are enhancing investments at our R&D centre in Faridabad, Haryana by setting up a second R&D campus.
The upcoming 2nd R&D Campus will be a centre of excellence for alternate energy related research, and will contribute significantly towards IndianOil’s long-term sustainability goals.
Currently, our R&D activity is focused on fuels and lubricants, refining, petrochemicals, pipeline transportation technology and polymers. Additionally, the R&D centre is engaged in research in alternative energy segments such as bioenergy, solar energy, hydrogen economy, energy storage, nanotechnology, carbon capture and utilisation and battery technologies.
On February 06, 2023, the Prime Minister of India launched a new E-20 fuel blend (20% Ethanol) at 84 fuel stations across 11 states and union territories. This significant step in green mobility further strengthens India’s commitment to sustainable energy.
We partnered with Ashok Leyland to conduct pilot trials of Methanol blended Diesel (MD15) buses in Bengaluru. This venture, backed by team R&D’s development of a critical coupler for stable fuel mix, leverages India’s abundance of coal for methanol production, reducing crude oil imports and strengthening energy security.
In a year marked by innovative products, we launched Methanol blended petrol (M15) in Tinsukia, Assam. In addition, the introduction of the new 2 kg FTL Cylinder, MUNNA, in the LPG segment, was warmly received by the market.
Produced certified Aviation Gasoline grade AVGAS 100 LL for the first time in India.
Signed MoU with LanzaJet to explore Sustainable Aviation Fuel production using ATJ technology.
XtraFlo, our in-house technology for drag reduction in pipeline transportation, was adopted for the first time in LPG pipeline to enhance its throughput.
Completed mechanical erection of 100 KLPD 2G ethanol plant at Panipat.
Explored 2G lignin residue in CRMB as bitumen substitute and completed successful lab testing.
Developed continuous process for Xylitol production from Xylose stream, achieving 100% conversion.
Validated Agri-Elite technology for premium bio-fertilizer production to increase rice yield by 22%.
Introduced StubVorous for stubble decomposition within 15 days, to enable timely crop rotation.
Developed Enzyme-assisted CO2 capture technology (eCO2 Sorb) for commercial-scale demonstration.
Validated ASP Kit-Microbiological for ETP biological health monitoring at two IndianOil refineries.
Successful commissioning of 80 kTA grassroots indSelectG® unit for cracked gasoline desulfurisation at Guwahati Refinery using in-house developed catalyst meeting product Sulphur of 5 ppmw & RON improvement of ~4.0 units; In-house developed Ind-CokerAT® technology selected for 170-220 kTA DCU revamp at Digboi Refinery to handle additional heavy vacuum residue; 265 MT of composite INDMAX catalyst manufactured and supplied for trial at Mathura Refinery.
Our latest product, Cycloplast, is a brand of polymer recyclate that combines recycled petrochemicals with a portion of virgin or solo plastic. This innovative solution is expected to revolutionise the industry. We are currently planning to expand the use of Cycloplast to polyethylene in addition to polypropylene. This expansion will play a crucial role in reducing the production of solo plastic.
IndianOil became the only OMC to produce, market, and export AVGAS 100LL indigenously at its Gujarat Refinery.
XtraFlo
Cycloplast
SERVO 4T Xtra 10W-30
SERVO Tractor Green
SERVO 4T Green
AVGAS 100 LL
2 kg FTL MUNNA
Hydrogen is widely considered as a fuel for the future and we have recently commissioned the first-ever Hydrogen Dispensing Unit at Gujarat Refinery. The hydrogen fuel dispensing station has generated immense interest, not only within the energy sector but also across the nation, as it marks India’s first Hydrogen Dispensing Facility for mobility solutions.
We have signed binding term sheet with ReNew and L&T for formation of a Joint Venture to develop green hydrogen production assets and associated renewable assets through any model of ownership and operatorship. Moreover, binding term sheet for another Joint Venture has been signed with L&T for a foray into Electrolyser Manufacturing in India. This significant achievement places a great responsibility on us to meet the expectations of our stakeholders and ensure smooth commissioning of hydrogen-fuelled buses.
We are dedicated to pursuing potential mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships that can enhance our growth prospects. Our goal is to identify areas of growth and potential synergies that have complementary core competencies. We continuously evaluate and investigate such opportunities with the help of our due diligence team, that conducts a comprehensive analysis of various factors that can affect our growth potential, such as market environment, trends, competitors, supply and demand, and other factors. After identifying specific opportunities, we carefully evaluate its efficiency and make informed decisions that align with our overall growth strategy.
MoU signed with SJVN for the formation of a Joint Venture (JV) for the development of Renewable Energy Projects, viz., Solar, Wind, Hydro and Hybrid Power. This project aims to ensure round the clock (RTC) supply of power to IndianOil refineries and will also be sold to third parties through energy exchanges
Signed MOUs with NTPC and LanzaJet to introduce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) based on LanzaJet Alcohol-to-Jet technology
Signed binding term sheet with ReNew and L&T for formation of a Joint Venture to develop green hydrogen production assets and associated renewable assets through any model of ownership and operatorship. Moreover, binding term sheet for another Joint Venture has been signed with L&T for a foray into Electrolyser Manufacturing in India
To expand the reach of the XTRAREWARDS programme, IndianOil has entered into partnerships with Hyundai and Maruti, Park Plus, PayTM, PhonePe and Gpay
IOC Phinergy Private Limited, IndianOil’s JV with Phinergy Ltd. Israel, is advancing commercialisation of Aluminium-Air battery technology in India for electric vehicles and stationary applications. It has successfully integrated the Aluminium-Air system in 3-wheeler and 4-wheeler vehicles of leading Auto OEMs and have also demonstrated the technology for use as an energy backup solution for telecom tower sites
Agreement extended with Lummus Technology, USA for global marketing, licensing and improvement of INDMAX technology
MoU signed with Andhra University, RGIPT to boost industry-academia partnership
MoU signed with with Ashok Leyland on LNG, ED5 and MD15 fuels
Licensing agreements between IndianOil and empanelled vendors to transfer technology for manufacturing, marketing, installation and after- sales service of indoor solar cooking system developed by IndianOil R&D.
Making a bold move towards innovation and collaboration, IndianOil welcomed Vasitars Pvt. Ltd. as the first-ever start-up to join the IndianOil Start Up Round-1. The partnership aims to develop a groundbreaking solution called the ‘Nano Filler Reinforced Polymer Composite Wrap to Repair Corroded Pipelines.’ As part of this venture, IndianOil acquired a 2.1% equity stake in Vasitars Pvt. Ltd., a Company specialising in in-situ composite repair solutions for various types of damaged transmission pipelines. By harnessing the power of nano fillers and reinforced polymer composite wraps, this project holds the promise of revolutionising pipeline repair and reinforcing IndianOil's commitment to innovation and sustainable solutions.
Together, we have developed a proof of concept and intellectual properties (IP), which have been used to create nine different products for repairing corroded pipelines, storage tanks, and pressure vessels. These products are currently being used in various IndianOil locations, including our refineries, R&D centres, and pipelines. The success of this partnership is a testament to IndianOil's commitment to supporting innovative solutions that foster new developments within the industry. By collaborating with start-ups like Vasitars, we have access to new technologies and ideas to improve our operations and better serve our customers.
We recognise the importance of embracing digital technology and tools in today’s fast paced business landscape. We believe that our focus on digital transformation will keep us ahead of competition
We have introduced the Common LPG Data Platform (CLDP), a large-scale project under the aegis of MOPNG, to enable end-to end LPG consumer lifecycle management, and VIBA (Virtual Indane Bot Assistant), a WhatsApp chatbot to enable customers perform several functions, including refill booking, order tracking, quick pay, subsidy status, and grievance creation and tracking.
We have also rolled out several digital business processes for retail and petrochemical businesses, including SDMS CRM and ePIC. The in-app QR code for LPG refill delivery confirmation has also been introduced and it helps customers to earn loyalty points.
In an effort to achieve our Net-Zero goal, the eVidit portal has been formed for processing paperless vendor payments and implementing a preemptive notification system for LPG refill booking using predictive analytics.
We have also launched several notable digital initiatives, including the Fuel@Call mobile app for doorstep gasoline and HSD delivery, self-service booking and digital payment facility for NDNE customers through the portal and the application. Alongside, 1906 emergency service has been launched on WhatsApp, and the Digi Mitra portal, a self-learning portal for customers has been developed.
Successful GoLive of CLDP Project (Phase 1)
ePIC (SDMS-CRM) rollout for IndianOil’s Petchem LOB landscape
Customer self-service booking and digital payment for NDNE customers on portal and mobile app
Pre-emptive notification for LPG refill booking using AI/ML powered predictive models
Launch of VIBA (Virtual Indane Bot Assistant) WhatsApp chatbot
Unified loyalty solutions for retail customers in ePIC solution
Implemented SD-WAN dual network connectivity at 14,522 retail outlets to enhance the digital experience
Integrated Transaction Processing Server (ITPS) was rolled out across 28,000+ ROs, handling over 12 Lakh Transactions per day
Deployment of 25 bots in the Marketing Division automated repetitive tasks, saving valuable man-hours
Introducing refill booking reminders via SMS based on customers’ historical patterns.
In addition to decreasing our reliance on imports, we are committed to exploring alternative energy sources to offer sustainable solutions, including the production of 2G ethanol from agricultural waste, development of fuel cell technology for vehicles, generation of bio-diesel using solar power, and the creation of energy storage devices. We remain dedicated to finding innovative ways to contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future. During the year, we explored opportunities to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and bio-gas from organic waste.
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